Overview

The latest brief from the National Equity Atlas team, Race, Place, and Jobs: Reducing Employment Inequality in America’s Metros, analyzes the relationship between racial and spatial inequality in employment across America’s largest 150 metropolitan regions. We find that in several regions with large racial gaps in employment such as Youngstown and Milwaukee, unemployed workers of color tend to live in a small number of neighborhoods. In these places, neighborhood-targeted workforce development and job access strategies have the potential to increase racial equity and reduce disparities at the regional level, building stronger and more inclusive regional economies.

Jobs and Equity in the Urban Forest

Overview

A recent study, Jobs and Equity in the Urban Forest, showcases the small, but growing range of policies, programs, and investments that — like GreenSkills — are harnessing jobs in the urban forest to build opportunity within low-income communities and communities of color. The study is co-authored by Ecotrust, a Portland, Oregon, nonprofit that promotes environmentally sound economic development, and PolicyLink, in partnership with Portland green infrastructure contractor, Verde Landscape.

Ending the Debt Trap: Strategies to Stop the Abuse of Court-Imposed Fines and Fees

Overview

A new brief from PolicyLink, looks at ways in which the use of fines and fees has expanded over time, the impact of these practices, and the inefficiency of these policies as a budget tool for local governments. The brief lifts up promisingstrategies that are currently being implemented across the country to ensure that judicial fines and fees do not contribute to burdensome debt for low-income communities and people of color — including a set of recommendations to help institutionalize reforms within local and state governments.

Building Financially Secure Futures: An Approach for Boys and Men of Color

Criminal Justice Reform: Good for Families, Communities, and the Economy

Overview

This issue brief describes how transforming the nation’s criminal justice system into one that distributes justice fairly and promotes rehabilitation would benefit families, communities, and the economy.

Healthy Environments for All: Good for Families, Communities, and the Economy

Overview

This issue brief describes the economic benefits of creating healthy environments for all—both through targeted strategies that improve the quality of neighborhood environments where low-income people of color live and work, and through larger-scale shifts toward a clean energy economy that does not rely on fossil fuels.

Overview

Leveraging Anchor Institutions for Economic Inclusion

Overview

Anchor institutions, such as colleges and universities, hospitals and health-care facilities, utilities, faith-based organizations and museums have a role to play in driving economic growth. This brief is an introduction to developing and implementing an anchor strategy that can advance equity and economic inclusion in order to promote regional prosperity. It provides actionable recommendations for federal Economic Resilience and Sustainable Communities grantees and their broad range of regional partners.

An Equity Profile of the Cape Fear Region

Overview

The Cape Fear region in North Carolina is experiencing a demographic transformation characterized by a diversifying younger population and a rapidly growing senior population that is predominantly White. To secure a thriving economy for the decades to come, the region must tap the economic potential of its growing young population. Building education and career pathways for all and ensuring young workers are prepared for the jobs of the future are key strategies for inclusive growth in the region. Download the summary.

An Equity Profile of the Cape Fear Region (Summary)

Overview

The Cape Fear region in North Carolina is experiencing a demographic transformation characterized by a diversifying younger population and a rapidly growing senior population that is predominantly White. To secure a thriving economy for the decades to come, the region must tap the economic potential of its growing young population. Building education and career pathways for all and ensuring young workers are prepared for the jobs of the future are key strategies for inclusive growth in the region. Download the full profile.

An Equity Profile of the Research Triangle Region

Overview

The Research Triangle Region has a long tradition of growth and change, as its research universities and technologically sophisticated businesses have served markets and attracted people from across the United States and around the world. From the city cores of Raleigh and Durham to small towns and rural areas throughout the region, the communities that make up the Research Triangle have a common goal of seeing that all its people have pathways to success. Download the summary.

An Equity Profile of the Research Triangle Region (Summary)

Overview

The Research Triangle Region has a long tradition of growth and change, as its research universities and technologically sophisticated businesses have served markets and attracted people from across the United States and around the world. From the city cores of Raleigh and Durham to small towns and rural areas throughout the region, the communities that make up the Research Triangle have a common goal of seeing that all its people have pathways to success. Download the full profile.

An Equity Profile of Detroit

Overview

The Detroit region is undergoing growth and change. After losing approximately 156,000 people between 2000 and 2010, the region is projected to reverse its recent losses and grow by about 5 percent over the next 30 years. People of color will make up a growing share of the population, with much of that growth propelled by Latinos and Asians. An infusion of new public and private investments along with middle-wage job growth is also fueling an economic recovery, what some have called a Detroit Renaissance. However, not everyone will benefit unless business, community, and political leaders work together to connect people of color to jobs, business opportunities, quality education and career training, and healthy homes and neighborhoods. Download summary here.

An Equity Profile of Detroit - Summary

Overview

The Detroit region is undergoing growth and change. After losing approximately 156,000 people between 2000 and 2010, the region is projected to reverse its recent losses and grow by about 5 percent over the next 30 years. People of color will make up a growing share of the population, with much of that growth propelled by Latinos and Asians. An infusion of new public and private investments along with middle-wage job growth is also fueling an economic recovery, what some have called a Detroit Renaissance. However, not everyone will benefit unless business, community, and political leaders work together to connect people of color to jobs, business opportunities, quality education and career training, and healthy homes and neighborhoods. Download the full report.

Strengthening the Pine Ridge Economy

Overview

The Pine Ridge reservation, home of Oglala Lakota people, sits within a broader regional economic context whose primary sectors include tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, and retail.1 The Pine Ridge Reservation and the Rapid City Metropolitan area are interdependent economies that, to date, channel many economic benefits off-reservation. This Equity and Opportunity Assessment identifies key strategies to create greater vibrancy and equity in reservation-based economic activity—to increase prosperity and quality of life for both the Oglala Lakota people and the region as a whole.

An Equity Profile of Southeast Florida Region

Overview

Communities of color are driving Southeast Florida’s population growth, and their ability to participate and thrive is central to the region’s economic success. But wide racial gaps in income, health, and opportunity place its future at risk. Creating good jobs, connecting youth and vulnerable workers to training and career pathways, and increasing access to economic opportunities can secure a bright economic future for the region. PolicyLink and the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity (PERE) produced this profile in partnership with the Southeast Florida Regional Planning Partnership. You can also download the summary.

Equitable Growth Profile of the Omaha-Council Bluffs Region

Overview

Omaha-Council Bluffs has a relatively strong and resilient regional economy, with overall low unemployment and steady job growth. At the same time, wages have stagnated for most workers and many communities of color face barriers to accessing good jobs, living wages, and the education needed for the jobs of the future. Increasing connections to good jobs, raising the floor for low-wage work, and building communities of opportunity metro-wide are key strategies to shift the region towards equitable growth. Download summary here.

Equitable Growth Profile of the Piedmont Triad Region

Overview

The Piedmont Triad region in North Carolina—covering 12 counties and home to the cities of Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point—is a growing region whose demographics are rapidly changing. Communities of color are driving growth, and have increased from 20 to 33 percent of the population since 1980. Ensuring its diverse residents can participate in the regional economy and contribute to stronger job growth and broadly shared prosperity is critical for the region’s future. Growing good jobs, investing in its workforce, and infusing economic inclusion into economic development and growth strategies are promising strategies. Download the summary.